Jezebel: Feminist

The Catchy New Word For Feminism

Dodai Stewart — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 14:15:00 EDT

When we asked for a new word for feminism — hoping we could do better than Beyoncé, who suggested something "catchy like 'bootylicious'" — we were, obviously, being tongue-in-cheek. There's nothing wrong with the word feminism, and if you believe in equality, you really should embrace the word — there's strength in numbers. However, for many it's not so simple. More »

A Teen Feminist Calls the Westboro Baptist Church

Danielle B — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 17:45:00 EDT

The Westboro Baptist Church is one of America's most infamous hate-mongers, using the bible and Christianity (at least, their brand of Christianity) to justify savage and hateful messages targeted at almost every group imaginable: homosexuals, abortionists, Muslims, Jews, Roman Catholics, even the United States military. When they're not stomping the American flag with soccer cleats or posting hateful parodies of popular songs on their website (the homophobic buggers even had the nerve to parody an Elton John song), they travel thousands of miles from their cozy coven in Topeka, Kansas to picket military funerals, gay pride events and Jewish community centers. They even went so far as to picket the funeral of Matthew Shepard, a young man who was murdered in 1998 for no other reason than the fact that he was gay. More »

Keri Hilson Is A Feminist, Not That She Wants To Say So, Exactly

Dodai Stewart — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 13:15:00 EST

Her song "Pretty Girl Rock" — with lyrics like "Get yourself together don't hate (never do it)/ jealousy is the ugliest trait (don't ever do it)/ I can talk about it cause I know that I'm pretty /And if you know it too then ladies sing it with me" — is sort of an anthem for confidence (or, um, lookism?), and Keri Hilson obviously wants to be encouraging to the ladies. She tells My Yearbook, "I was inspired by the fact that I feel women seek validation in so many things, and I felt it was time that they had an example of how to feel about themselves no matter what anyone says." More »

Polish Feminist, Parliamentarian and LGBT Rights Advocate Izabela Jaruga-Nowacka Mourned After Crash

Megan Carpentier — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 13:15:00 EDT

Among the dead in yesterday's plane crash in Russia that claimed the lives of 96 Poles was outspoken feminist and LGBT rights advocate Izabela Jaruga-Nowacka, a former deputy prime minister who remained a member of the Sejm, the Polish Parliament. More »

Writer Revokes Lady Gaga's Feminist Credentials

Dodai Stewart — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 18:00:00 EST

Someone named Hermione Hoby is "heartbroken" about Lady Gaga's photo shoot for Q magazine. Hoby had previously been won over by Gaga's pro-woman comments. For instance: More »

"Little Lady" Katie Couric Continues To Make Big News

Katy Kelleher — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 16:00:00 EST

2008 was a big year for Katie Couric: she was almost fired, conducted an infamous interview with Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, and confronted widespread sexism. And she's not going away anytime soon. More »

Discussions Of Sarah Palin's "Feminism" Are (Mostly) Split Down Partisan Lines

Dodai Stewart — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 16:00:00 EDT

Feministing has a message for the mainstream media: Sarah Palin is NOT a feminist. This is in response to stories by The Wall Street Journal, Townhall.com, the L.A. Times, NPR, Adweek and the New York Post, all of which had the words "Sarah Palin" and "feminism" or "liberated woman" in the headline. While some news outlets are painting the proposed veep as a feminist, there are a few lone voices, columnists who very firmly insist that Governor Palin is not a feminist. Interested in keeping score? The fors and the againsts, after the jump. More »

British Lad Mags: Root Of All Ills Or Symptom Of The Bigger, Sexist Picture?

Maria — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 09:30:00 EDT

Michael Grove, the shadow education secretary and a prominent Conservative in England, gave a speech today at a meeting organized by the think tank IPPR condemning lad mags (like Nuts, Zoo, and Maxim) for promoting "instant-hit hedonism" and presenting women as "permanently, lasciviously, uncomplicatedly available." The result, according to Grove, is that the magazines promote a deterioration of responsibility in young men towards women, leaving British communities with apparently the worst social situation that could ever occur: single-parent families. Yes, lad mags may present a sexist image of women, but is focusing on the importance of "male responsibility" towards women reinforcing sexist and misogynist attitudes towards women or destroying them? (A poll on the website of the Guardian reveals that, as of this morning, 54% of respondents think that lad mags do not "make men feckless".) More »

Germaine Greer Pissed At Playwright • Playboy Meets The Olive Garden

Maria — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 17:30:00 EDT

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Germaine Greer calls a female playwright an "insane reactionary" after she wrote a play loosely based on Greer being held hostage by a teen. • An Alaskan prison is home to America's only all-female prison orchestra. • Tempest Storm, a self-described "classy" 80-year-old stripper, says she isn't giving up her vocation any time soon. • The Swedes say that a reduction in hormonal therapy for menopause has resulted in less cases of breast cancer in women over 45. • Elderly residents of an all-female English nursing home are addicted to the Nintendo Wii. Their fave? Wii Boxing. More »

Adrian Grenier is a feminist! We know because...

Dodai Stewart — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 13:45:00 EDT

Adrian Grenier is a feminist! We know because he says so! In an interview with Guardian, a reporter asks, "What do you think of the portrayal of women [on Entourage]? Replies Adrian: "I'm a feminist, so if there was anything that was untrue I would be on it. But you should see some of the girls out in LA. Entourage is remarkably honest. I don't think it pulls its punches, let's say. There are a wide range of different types of women characters. It's not just the superficial bimbo, although we do have a coupleof them: that's part of what the LA experience is. But then you have strong characters like Carla Gugino, who plays Amanda - she's smart, and strong, and a great actress - those are the women that stand out to me, the rest are superficial backdrop." Later, he adds: "I grew up in New York, Manhattan. I was an only child, my mother was a single mom. I had lots of love. The most important parenting trait is to have a lot of love." [Guardian] More »

I Wish 'The Girls' Lived Next Door To Me

Jennifer — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 18:00:00 EDT

The headline sang its way straight to my heart: "Why Women Love 'Girls Next Door'." Frankly, every woman I know (except for my fellow Jezebels) loves the highly addictive E! reality show The Girls Next Door, all about the life of Hugh Hefner and his three live-in girlfriends. I have had hours and hours worth of discussions, with friends and strangers alike, all female, on whether Holly will ever marry Hef, what age Bridget really is and what's up with all her masters degrees, and the enigma that is the sexuality of Kendra. In fact, 70% of the show's viewers are women: Says an E! talking head, who happens to be female:

They are normal girls living this fantasy lifestyle. They're good friends dating the same guy, and maybe the viewers are thinking, 'That won't ever be me,' but they like to look into it as if it was them as sort of an ultimate fantasy.